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Introduction to Linux - A Hands on Guide

This guide was created as an overview of the Linux Operating System, geared toward new users as an exploration tour and getting started guide, with exercises at the end of each chapter.
For more advanced trainees it can be a desktop reference, and a collection of the base knowledge needed to proceed with system and network administration. This book contains many real life examples derived from the author's experience as a Linux system and network administrator, trainer and consultant. They hope these examples will help you to get a better understanding of the Linux system and that you feel encouraged to try out things on your own.

I am new to Linux, and I have been playing around with installing RH 9. I have an Intel box with an Adaptec SCSI card attached to an external array of drives (6 9 gig HP's). It seems pretty unstable, and I am not sure what I'm doing wrong.

I had the install "autopartion". The partions spread themselves out over the drives and the system came up. I let it run all day ... then when I checked later the system power was off, but its in a UPS and I didnt get a hit all day (my other systems were fine)

Bringing it back up all the harddrives were found but on booting i got a bunch of binary junk characters. I figured, whatever, im just learning so i reloaded (on only one drive this time) I got the same junk characters on power up. Ive reloaded several times trying to get it right, and this has never happened before (and i dont know what to look for if reloading wont fix it) I did just boot from floppy, and my system came up.

My ultimate goal is to turn the array into raid and move the boot partition into the array. Ive read about it, but id settle to just be able to boot up without a problem from the harddrives, not the floppy.

ps, i did boot the original installation right from the harddrives. i also removed an ide drive. it sure didnt like when i mixed up scsi and ide.

what if it is GNU, should that be the same? I went to /sbin and there is a lilo file. I execute it and it says /etc/lilo.conf file does not exist. i looked in the lilo file (it wasnt a link) and it has a lot of nasty looking binary characters and messages (that get variables, so its not like a log, but a runtime thing, not sure if that means anything).

Any idea on a next step. I can still boot from floppy, but going to the scsi harddrive just dumps some junk to the screen and hangs.

"man lilo.conf" will give you some information on creating a lilo.conf file. Then run /sbin/lilo as root to get it working. It's been a while since I read through that man page but it should give you hints about making sure it points to your boot partition and any paramaters you need to have it to recognize your SCSI array.

but there is no lilo.conf in /etc. when i execute /etc/lilo i get (or just lilo from /sbin) ->
[root@pangea sbin]# lilo
/etc/lilo.conf: No such file or directory

do i need to build the file from scratch? ive never done that before, but im game.
More important, this is a brand new load (granted ive loaded a few times trying to get it right), i havent deleted, moved or renamed any files. any idea why this file might be missing? that makes me nervous, because when i get this system where i want it, i plan to use this as a file server. if i cant make it stable it will be pretty much useless.

then add your setup like the man page said i dont even remember hwo to add windows to lilo but hopefully some toehr member will give you a copy of their lilo.conf heres mine which will help witht he linux setup and i think you windows entry should be along the same lines as my entry for bsd

Thanks deadbug! I found the information .... "BIOS Support for Int13 Extensions" disabled, now I am booting from the SCSI. I did not try grub before as the boot loader, just lilo. This is an Adaptec 2940U and found that others have had this problem.

First, my intention is to run as a file server with multiple scsi drives. Large files for editing video. I also hope build the system as RAID 5 eventually, for availabilty. And, eventually (I'll probably never have time for this one) I would like to boot from RAID. I also have a tape drive and intend to use amanda for a backup solution to all network devices (mostly windows, one powerpc with AIX).

Questions (im in the NEWBIE section so I figure dumb questions now, save a lotta time later) -

1. Does it really matter if I go lilo or grub? the more i look on the web the more i cant decide. can someone explain which is better, where and why (a little, or a link)?

2. BIOS Support for Int13 Extensions is now disabled - does this matter? I understand the boot partition, kernel etc has to be in the first 8 Gig? (these drives are 9.8 gig). I think I can live with that (comment on that if anyone feels different) is there anything else to be worried about?

no it doesnt matter, once youve booted theres no difference between a grub and lilo system grub seems to have more features (custom splash screen etc) but lilo seems to be easier to learn (configs make more sense to someone who doenst know what theyre doing) it think thats about all